Compass controlled circuit closer



Jan; 19, 1937.

O. NEUBERT, JR COMPASS CONTROLLED CIRCUIT CLOSER Filed May 27, 1953Use/m I/VVf/V 70R MAY/155m" JR.

Patented Jan. 19, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 5 Claims.

This invention relates to a compass controlled steering device, andparticularly to a novel means whereby the swing of the compass card willactuate an electrical circuit to control a driving means for the rudder.

An object of my invention is to provide a novel contact means actuatedby the rotating element of the compass, said contact means being soarranged that it will not impair the proper functioning of the compass.

Still another object is to provide a device of the character stated,which is simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may appear from theaccompanying drawing, the subjoined detailed description, and theappended claims.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a side elevation of a compass, with partsbroken away to show interior construction and a diagrammatic wiringlayout to the rudder actuating means.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view of a modified formof contact arm and mercury cups.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the contact arm and its mounting.

Referring more particularly to the drawing", the numeral I indicates theusual box or housing in which the compass is mounted. This box isjournaled in a base 2, and adjustment is thus made to the coursedesired. The box I may be calibrated above the base 2 so that the coursecan be accurately set.

A compass bowl 3 is mounted in the box I on gimbal rings 4, in the usualand well known manner. A compass card 5 is suitably attached to a float6 which is floating in a. liquid in the bowl 3. The float is journaledat the top and bottom on pins I, B. These pins may be set in jewels sothat the friction is reduced to a minimum. It will be evident that themounting of the float will prevent it from dipping from side to sidewhen in operation.

A cam 9 is mounted on the upper face of the float 6, for the purpose ofactuating a contact means, as will be further described.

A contact arm I6 is pivotally mounted in a bracket II adjacent the float6. The bracket I I is suitably attached to the bowl 3, or to the topcover of this bowl, or it may be attached or be a part of the upperfloat bearing I2.

The inner end of the contact arm I rests lightly upon the cam 9. A jewelI3 may be attached to the end of the arm to reduce friction,

if it is found necessary. The outer end of the arm I0 is bent downwardlyto form a contact finger I4. The arm I 6 is so mounted that the jewel I3will always ride on the cam 9.

A mercury cup I is suspended from the cover of the bowl I3 and the upperpart of the cup serves as a terminal I6. A second terminal I1 is alsomounted in the cover of the bowl, and a very light and flexible wire I8extends from this last named terminal to the contact arm III. This wireis so light that it will not affect the delicate balance of the contactarm. The cup I5 is partially filled with mercury or some other suitablecontact means, and when the compass rotates, the inner end of thecontact arm will ride up on the cam 9, thus depressing the outer end ofthe contact arm to move the finger I4 into the mercury and close thecontact.

In Fig. 2, the contact arm I9 has a yoke 26 secured to the outer endthereof, and this yoke is bent downwardly into contact fingers 2I, 22.Each of the contact fingers extend into a mercury bowl 23, 24,respectively. By this arrangement, the two terminals extend from themercury cups 23, 24, and the contact is simultaneously made in each cupby the fingers 2I, 22 when the contact arm is actuated by the cam 9.With this last arrangement, the wire I8 is eliminated.

Current is supplied to the terminals I6, H from a battery 25. One lead26 from the battery extends to the terminal I6 and. a lead 21 extendsfrom the terminal H to a relay 28. A lead also extends from the batteryto the relay. The relay 28 is of the double-throw type and the armature29 thereof is held to one side by a spring 36. When the relay isenergized, the armature moves to the other side, all of which is usualand well known.

The one contact 3i of the relay 28 is connected to a relay 32. Two leads33 and 34 extend to one of the fields of a reversible motor 35. Abattery 36 in series in this last named circuit serves to operate themotor.

A second relay 31 is connected to the second contact 38 of the relay 28.The secondary terminals of the second relay are connected to the secondfield of the motor 35 thru leads 39 and 40. The lead 39 is common withthe lead 34, both of which extend to the battery 36 and thence to thecenter post of the motor.

The rudder M is actuated by means of a cable 42, said cable extending toa. suitable drum which is rotated by a gear 43, said gear being actuatedby the worm 44 on the motor 35.

The movement of the motor is controlled by an adjustable cut-oil 45which comprises a pair of segmental contact rings 45 and 41. These ringsrotate with the gear 43.

Three brushes, 45, 45 and 50 engage the rings 45 and 41. The middlebrush 4! is connected thru a battery 5| to the armature 25. The brush 48is connected to the windings oi the relay l2, thence to the terminal II.Similarly, the brush 50 is connected to the windings oi the relay 31 andthence to the terminal 58.

When the ship moves ofl its course, the compass casing moves with theship about the float 6 which remains directionally fixed, thus the cam 9will move the inner end 01 the contact arm Hi. The contact arm, in turn,closes the contacts in the mercury cup II, or 25 and 24. The relay 28 isthen energized, the armature 29 thereof swings to the right, as viewedin Figure 1 and the motor 55 will be operated to move the rudder 4|. Thespring I5 normally holds the armature 29 in the position shown inFigure 1. The switch 3| is then closed, the relay 3! is energized andthe electrical circuit is completed to the motor 35 thru the wires 33and 34. The motor then slowly moves the rudder in one direction (towardsthe left, forexample); the ship then slowly swings 01! its course untilthe upper dwell of the cam 9 engages the contact arm l0 causing anelectrical contact to be made in the mercury cup l5, whereupon the relay28 is energized thru the leads 2B and 21; the armature 25 then swings tothe right as viewed in Figure l; the contact 38 is closed and the relay31 is energized. Q

The motor 35 is now rotated in the opposite direction thru the leads 40and 34; the rudder is then slowly moved to the right until the upperdwell of the cam moves from under the contact arm l0, whereupon thecontact at I5 is broken and the spring again returns the armature 29 tothe position shown in Figure 1, and the operation first described isrepeated.

The control ring 48 limits the amount of throw of the rudder 4|, due tothe fact that this ring is attached to the control mechanism of therudder, and when the insulated portion 48' of the ring 46 is moved undera contact 48 or 50, the electrical circuit in the relays 32 or 31 isbroken and the motor 35 will stop. The amount oi throw of the rudder 4|will be maintained, however, and the ship will slowly swing to the leftor to the right so that the contact arm ID will be actuated, asdescribed above.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a compass controlled circuit closer, a compass comprising a bowl,and a rotatable magnetic element in the bowl, a contact arm, meanspivotally mounting said contact arm on the bowl, cam means on therotatable element, one end of said contact arm engaging the cam means, acontact means on said bowl and engageable by the other end of saidcontact arm.

2. In a compass controlled circuit closer, a compass, a bowl, arotatable element in the bowl, a cam on the rotatable element, a contactarm, means pivotally mounting said contact arm on the bowl, one end ofsaid contact arm engaging the cam, a mercury cup mounted on the compassbowl, the other end of said contact arm entering the cup when saidcontact arm, is pivotally moved by said cam.

3. In a compass controlled circuit closer, a compass, a bowl, arotatable element in the bowl, a cam on the rotatable element, a contactarm, means pivotally mounting said contact arm on the bowl, one end ofsaid contact arm engaging the cam, a pair of mercury cups, the other endof said contact arm having branches dipping into the respective cupswhen said arm is pivoted by said cam whereby an electrical circuit isclosed.

4. In a compass controlled circuit closer, a compass, a bowl, a float inthe bowl, upper and lower mounting pins on the float, a cam on the topof the float, a contact arm, a bracket on said bowl, said contact armbeing pivotally mounted on the bracket, one end of said arm resting onthe cam, a mercury cup on said bowl, the other end of said arm extendinginto said cup, said arm closing an electrical circuit when said camlifts the inner end of the arm.

5. In a compass controlled circuit closer, a compass, a bowl, a float inthe bowl, upper and lower mounting pins on the float, a cam on the topof the float, a contact arm, a bracket on said bowl, said contact armbeing pivotally mounted on the bracket, one end of said arm resting onthe cam, a pair of mercury cups on said bowl, the outer end of said armextending into said cups, said arm closing an electrical circuit whenthe inner end of said arm is raised by the cam.

OSCAR NEUBERT, JR.

